One of the things on our list for our Busan trip was to play at Songdo Beach and explore the area around it. Well, that didn’t pan out exactly as we’d hoped with the near constant rain that we experienced for the entire weekend. BUT, the day we checked out of our hotel was warm and sunny. So, instead of hitting the road bright and early, we decided to take some time to ride the Songdo Cable Car and explore the area before starting the trek back to our home in Pyeongtaek.
Songdo Cable Car in Busan
We didn’t have much time in Songdo – and I will forever be sad that we weren’t able to spend a day at Songdo Beach like we’d originally wanted – so we had to prioritize what we wanted to do. We decided that we had time to ride the cable car, visit the suspension bridge on the other side (spoiler alert: it was Monday so the suspension bridge was closed), grab some lunch and explore for a bit, then ride the cable car back and experience the cloud bridge. And as it turned out, all of that was just the right amount of adventuring that we could handle right before driving 4.5 hours home.
We opted for the Crystal Cabin for the Cable Car – which meant that ours had a glass bottom. I wouldn’t say that it enhanced the experience too much (we would opt for the cheaper option next time), but the kids did love being able to see the water far below us. We enjoyed play the game of “would you jump into the water from this height for X amount of dollars?” to which I responded with “absolutely not” no matter how high the kids made the dollar amount.
The views were spectacular and we were just so happy to see the sun after three days of gloomy downpours. We got to the other side without incident (minus some motion sickness for me because literally everything gives me motion sickness) and started exploring. And I tell you, we’ve gotten pretty used to randomness in Korea, but this might take the cake.
There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to any of the decor and attractions – from giant moving dinosaur animatronics to golden snails and windmills, it was bizarre and also insanely aesthetic. On the roof of the cable car depot, there are sculptures dedicated to The Little Prince – which I’m sure has some kind of significance (although I don’t know what that significance was). Randomness aside, we loved exploring the area and appreciated being in the sun!
There are hiking trails and so many other things to explore in the area, but we were a little pressed for time – and far too exhausted for any kind of hike – so we opted to keep things pretty simple. After enjoying some ice cream and smoothies, we got back onto the cable car and made our way back the way we came. Of course, on the way back, I was much sicker than I had been on the first trip – so I can’t say I enjoyed that all that much. Still, I tried to distract myself with the view of the beach and city, watching people on the cloud bridge, and snapping ALL the pictures that I possibly could.
The Songdo Cable Car is just like pretty much every other cable car I’ve been to in my life – not that we were expecting anything different. The views are what really set this one apart from others and it’s absolutely worth a visit if you are spending some time in Busan.
’til next time…
Ash
How to ride the Songdo Cable Car in Busan
Directions & Parking: Included below are Naver pins to a parking garage about a 5-minute walk from the Cable Car (paste 부산 서구 충무대로94번길 40 into Naver or use the link below), as well as a pin for the Cable Car office and depot. There was a parking garage at the cable car itself, which MIGHT be able to be accessed using this Naver pin for Songdo Cable Car Entrance. Parking at the Namhang Port Parking Lot was cheap – and they gave us two hours free since we did the Cable Car. Cash was accepted.
Naver pin – Songdo Marine Cable Car Namhang Port Parking Lot
Naver pin – Songdo Marine Cable Car
Cost:
Regular Cable Car
Round Trip
Adults – ₩17,000
Children – ₩12,000
Children under 36 months – FREE
One Way
Adults – ₩13,000
Children – ₩10,000
Children under 36 months – FREE
Crystal Cruise (glass-bottom car)
Round Trip
Adults – ₩22,000
Children – ₩16,000
Children under 36 months – FREE
One Way
Adults – ₩17,000
Children – ₩13,000
Children under 36 months – FREE
*Hours: Open daily from 9:00am – 9:00pm
*Hours of operation are subject to change at any time without notice.
Amenities: There are bathrooms located in the cable car depot, as well as a convenience store right outside. The are had a lot of construction going on at the time, but there were restaurants and cafes in the surrounding area. On the other side of the cable car, there is a large outdoor food court with many different options for treats and meals. There were also some carnival games available to play for a fee. There are bathrooms at this depot as well.
